Do they have a banner hanging for that? It wouldn't surprise me if the Aloof brothers did buy a consolation flag for their Queens.
Totally agree, they do look bad for running their mouths all the time but they were screwed two years ago by the refs and the sad part about it is that everyone agrees except Laker fans.
Uh no, they don't. They got screwed out of it by an official. That would be the point. And don't take my word for it that that game was the biggest NBA travesty in the past decade... ask David Aldridge and Bill Simmons ("Most Disturbing Subplot of the Playoffs" section). The sad thing is that Lakers fans either won't admit what a travesty that game was, or they actually have the gall to claim that game five was just as bad the other way. Please. Get over yourselves. Even the international press was making offhand jokes about the Kings being the "real" champions that year.
never knew this, it said that dick buveata was assigned to all the games that they list in which bad referring occured. He should just retire. Isnt that the guy that also didnt give steve a call during the sacermento game?
Maybe this time the refs would favour the Pacers and give them the calls when they need them. To equal their karma from the last time they played the finals and ****ed it up. Damn I hate the Lakers.
Karl Malone is an A**H*** and a very evil person. He should be doomed to never winning any ring for his entire career.
Yes, Bavetta was the ref in the Houston-Sacramento game that didn't give Francis the call. He was also the ref that Steve popped (inadavertently, or was it intentional?) in the nose. That was hilarious to see the look on Bavetta's face when that happened! But I agree that he needs to retire.
To me, it's gotten to the point with Bavetta where it doesn't seem to matter what two teams are playing. No matter what, regular season or playoffs, when he's calling the game, I expect it to be slanted one way or the other. He is quite simply a terrible, terrible official, and he should have retired years ago.
It would STILL be 2-1. Once you take Dick Bavetta out, then you probably want another ring for Webebr being out all the time? There's absolutely nothing you can say to a three-peat. I don't like but respect the Lakers. No amount of good luck, bad refereeing and clutchshooting will win you 3 rings in a row. You have to be the best to win it 3 times in a row. The Lakers were just better. Regardless of why the Kings don't have a ring, they still shouldn't be trashtalking because in the end, all they have is those Pacific Division titles. They don't have a single championship but keep talking about how the Lakers this and Lakers that... I have absolutely no respect for the Kings. Divac doesn't play a man's game, Webber isn't a man, and Peja needs a man. Can you imagine how much the Kings will overreact if they win it? A certain amount of craziness is expected, but the Kings would repeatedly rub it in everyone's face as if they've emulated the great Celtics and Lakers era. They don't deserve it. They don't have the character of a Champion.
Uh, no. Injuries happen. That is and is supposed to be a part of the game. Webber is a wuss who can't play with injuries. Never have I denied that. What shouldn't be part of the game is an official singlehandedly changing the outcome of the playoffs. You're right, and the Lakers don't have one in my mind. So do I. Correct, but it apparently can win you 1. I'm not disputing the other 2. That year? No, they really weren't. You know, I don't get everyone's problems with the Kings talking. Is it so wrong for them to say that they really believe thet can win it all? Because they can. Good to know you're looking at this from an unbiased, objective perspective. No, Divac plays a funny-as-hell-to-watch finger-rolling, over-the-back-passing game. So did Sabonis and Walton. Nothing wrong with that. No, Webber isn't a man, but last time I checked it was not the "National Men's Basketball Association." Someone should contact NOW about you. Yes, Peja may be queer, but last time I checked sexual preference had nothing to do with basketball. "They don't deserve it?" They don't have "the character of a champion?" Those sound kinda nebulous to me... all along I was thinking all you had to do was win basketball games. Just because they play a skill game instead of a pound-it-in-your-grill game shouldn't make them "less deserving."
correct me if i am wrong but wasnt it bavetta who was right in front of the play when shaq kicked the ball away from francis and dunked it earlier this year when the lakers played houston? I wish someone did a W-L chart and # of fts/fouls called for each time for every laker game bavetta ref over the past 6 years if that was possible i am sure u'll some major discrepancies, more so than usual
lakers are beating up the pups now.. they are truly scary with every all-star healthy. I don't think rox want to meet them in the playoffs.
In Gm5, the refs gave the ball back to the Kings in the final seconds after Webber hit it out setting Bibby up for the game-winner. If not for that, the Lakers go up 3-1 instead of needing a win in Gm6. That comment about LA not being the best team that year is unfounded. They had more overall talent than the Lakers, but talent doesn't = titles. The Kings either choked up huge leads or couldn't take care of biz on their own court; the supposedly daunting Arco Arena. It is all right for them to talk, but in the end, that's all they've done...talked. It's all right too if Webber and Divac are wusses. It just makes it easier for their opponents to win. All that's needed to take Webber out of a game is a little contact. After that, he's totally mind-scrambled. There's also a good chance that he and Divac will allow the referees to take their minds off of the task at hand. But when your coach sets an example of whining after every call, it's natural that they players will take on that style. The kicker is that Sac gets some of the best home-cooking and benefit of the doubt in the league. Yet, for some reason, they act like they are constantly persecuted. There is no "deserve" in sports, but if playing defense, rebounding, and showing mettle in the clutch mean something in the playoffs, then the Kings won't win anyway. If what they play is a skill game then piss on skill games. It hasn't gotten them anything but a Pacific Div title (and they're freefalling 2000 Blazers style as I write).
Uh, this was my whole point in my previous posts. In every game, there are some bad calls. If you want to talk about one call, we may as well debate every single game ever played in the NBA. I mean, the single worst call I ever saw was in game 7 of Lakers-Blazers in 2000 when Shaq just clotheslined Steve Smith going to the basket and there was no call. Did it affect the outcome of the game? Ehhhh... maybe. The officiating was pretty bad, but I give the Lakers credit for the win. The point about game 6 is that the officiating was terrible above and beyond what any sane person should consider a reasonable margin for human error. I don't see Ralph Nader writing the league a letter about how the Lakers were robbed in game 5. I don't see big-name sportswriters talking about how the Lakers were robbed in game 5. I don't see the international press bashing the Kings for all the calls they got in game 5. Game 5 was not perfect, but it was reasonable. Unfounded? You admit yourself that the Kings had more overall talent. It's ridiculous to say that at least a valid argument for the Kings being the better team can't be made. Yes, it's alright for them to talk. Thank you. We agree completely on this point. And your point is...? And the Lakers get it better. All good teams get the benefit of the doubt at home during the regular season. And what, you don't think Shaq whines about the refs? Once again, your point is...? Thank you. There is no "deserve" in sports. Once again we agree. And yes, the Kings aren't doing so hot at the moment because Bobby Jackson is out, and Brad Miller is still playing with a hurt elbow. Conversely, the Lakers are surging because everyone is finally healthy. Surprise surprise.
Again, did the Kings get rings maid and banners hung for crying about refs? If the Kings were clearly the better team, then they should have been able to beat LA IN SPITE of the refs. The great teams can win through adversity, the Kings only do that in the regular season.
No, they got robbed of the rings and banners. That's the whole point. And now you're making up crap that you claim others said to make your argument look stronger. Where did anyone here say the Kings were clearly the better team? Not one person said that. Oops, there goes that point. They were a slightly better team, hence the series being competitive, and hence Dick Bavetta being able to have a hand in deciding the outcome. There hasn't been that level of "adversity" from officials in a single game for any team, great or not, in at least the past couple decades. There is absolutely no precedent for a game like that. Go ahead and find us one, and then this might have some level of validity.
Wasn't there some sort of controversey with the Bucks against the Sixers in 2001 where Ray Allen complained that small markets were set up to lose? The Bucks had something like a 16 point lead in game 6, blew it, lost, and ultimately were eliminated from the playoffs in game 7. I think the whole Laker thing was a bit magnified because so many people ( like me ) wanted the Lakers to lose, people were tired of them being the world champs. I'm not defending the Lakers, I still think there were a ton of bad calls in that game but it was still winnable for the Kings (as was game 7 which was played in their house). And yes there was one big horrible call in game 5 in that series too. With that said, I think the Kings should wait till they have the ring on their finger till they start talking their trash. It's hard to sympathize with a team when they sport Floppy Divac and Chris "timeout" Webber, not to mention Mike Bibby who does that stupid duck dance. Didn't Bibby do that dance when he played against the Rox? I don't know, I might remembering some other game on league pass.
